10 Ways of Boosting Your Creativity at Work

The need for creativity is not just limited to artists, musicians and writers; it is essential in all lines of work. It keeps you from feeling burnt out when pressure at work increases, while it helps you become more productive. The following are 10 ways you can boost and retain your creative capacity.

1. Leave Your Comfort Zone

It is tedious to engage in the same activity day in, day out, because you end up slipping into a state of inertia. You could decide to take a different route on your way to your workplace so that you can engage with a new environment. At work, undertake an assignment you have never done before to diversify your skills. Invest in a new hobby or learn a foreign language. Find ways to challenge your daily experience.

2. Read More and Widely

Books and other reading materials enable you to broaden your view of your environment, therefore opening up your way of thinking. Try to dedicate at least 30 minutes every day to reading something. In the end, you’ll find that you have assimilated a lot of valuable information that offers you new perspectives on how to approach work.

3. Revitalize Yourself

Stress and worry can clutter your mind as you keep ruminating on troubling thoughts that keep you from working optimally. Meditation through exercise such as yoga allows you to clear your mind, therefore increasing your concentration and insight so you are able to invite inspiration.

4. Play Some Games

There is a lot of truth to the proverb, ‘all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’. If you do not feel like physically exerting yourself, then you can exercise your brain. During your coffee break, fill out the crossword in the newspaper or complete a Sudoku puzzle. Such exercises keep you alert and ticking.

5. Exercise

Exertion should not just be limited to the mind; physical exertion is especially beneficial for your body. Going for a jog in the evening or walking to work in the morning releases endorphins, also known as ‘feel-good hormones’, into your bloodstream, keeping you fit and healthy.

6. Listen to Music

Albert Einstein attributes much of his creativity to Mozart’s music; and you too can unlock your own by listening to more music. Every now and then, your brain needs some form of entertainment that increases its capacity for creativity, and music is just the thing. Furthermore, research suggests that playing music in the background while performing a task increases your concentration and heightens your memory capacity.

7. Feed Your Brain

Aside from reading, you should include certain foods such as almonds and fish in your well-balanced diet to feed your brain.

8. Give Your Thoughts Perspective

Going over thoughts and ideas in your mind further clutters it, and you need clarity to be able to execute them. Try to lay your thoughts in a visual structure to enable you to see what areas needs further development, what needs to be changed and what can be done away with. Such a process enables you to be objective.

9. Write Things Down

Creativity is a process, and you should be able to contain every element of that process in order to realize your ideas. Keep a notebook nearby to note down any new ideas or thoughts that occur so that you are able to give them life as they develop.

10. Sleep

Outside of other activities such as meditation and exercise, sleep is the most natural way to get your brain into its natural rhythm, enabling its creative capacity to perform well. It nurtures your body and mind, and you feel refreshed and sharp afterwards.

Conclusion

A good balance of internal tools and external environment will enable you to realize the full potential of your brain and enhance your creativity. Practicing good habits in and out of the office to nurture your creativity is sure to keep you enthusiastic for work.